Zoom Breakout Room Auto-Assignment Limitations and Fair Alternatives

"Zoom breakout rooms always put the same people in the same groups" "Auto-assignment creates skill imbalances" "Participants complained about 'unfairness'"

Zoom's breakout room feature is convenient, but auto-assignment has unexpected pitfalls.

This article clarifies the problems with Zoom's standard features and explains fair, transparent alternatives.

Problems with Zoom's Standard Auto-Assignment

Problem 1: Opaque Algorithm

What's happening:

• Zoom's auto-assignment algorithm is undisclosed
• "Is it really random?" questions arise
• Same people frequently grouped together
• No way to verify

Participant feedback:

"I feel like I'm always paired with the same members" "If it were truly random, it would be more varied"

Problem 2: Cannot Consider Skill Balance

Problematic scenarios:

• Groups of only beginners form
• Veterans concentrate in one group
• Some groups have inactive discussions
• Training effectiveness declines

Example:

【Group 1】
Beginner A, Beginner B, Beginner C → Discussion stalls

【Group 2】
Veteran X, Veteran Y, Veteran Z → Only some speak

Ideal: Each group has beginners, intermediate, and veterans mixed

Problem 3: Late Joiners/Mid-Session Participants

Zoom's behavior:

• Participants joining after assignment remain unassigned
• Host must manually assign
• Re-assignment resets everyone
• Late joiners concentrate in specific groups

Result:

• Group sizes become unbalanced
• Late-joiner groups have stalled discussions
• Increased host burden

Problem 4: Cannot Combine Fixed Members with Random

What you want:

• Assign 1 facilitator to each group (fixed)
• Distribute 1 person from each department
• Pair new hires with a mentor each

Zoom's limitation:

• Either completely random or completely manual
• Cannot do "partially fixed + partially random"
• Requires manual adjustment each time

Problem 5: No History Records

Problems:

• Group assignments not recorded
• Might end up with same combinations next time
• Cannot "ensure different members than last time"
• Cannot verify or improve

3 Fair, Transparent Group Division Alternatives

Alternative 1: Pre-decide and Manually Assign in Zoom

Steps:

1. Create group assignments using Amida-san
2. All participants add horizontal lines (ensure transparency)
3. Copy results to Excel
4. Manually assign in Zoom at meeting start

Merits:

• Completely transparent
• All participants satisfied
• History preserved (URL saved)
• Can consider skill balance (conditional lottery)

Demerits:

• Manual Zoom assignment takes time (~5 minutes)
• Preparation required

Recommendation: 4/5

Best for:

• Transparency priority
• Regular training/workshops
• Maximize training effectiveness

Alternative 2: Zoom API + External Tool Integration

How it works:

1. Python script fetches participant list
2. Custom algorithm creates groups
3. Zoom API auto-assigns

Merits:

• Fully automated
• Custom logic implementable
• History saved to database

Demerits:

• High development cost
• High technical barrier
• Maintenance required

Recommendation: 2/5 (Large-scale operations only)

Best for:

• Large organizations (100+ people in regular training)
• Engineering resources available
• Maximum automation desired

Alternative 3: Hybrid Method (Partial Fixed + Lottery)

Steps:

1. Fix 1 facilitator/mentor in each group
2. Assign remaining members via lottery
3. Ensure transparency with Amida-san
4. Manually assign results in Zoom

Implementation example:

【Group 1】
Fixed: Facilitator A
Lottery: Participant 1, Participant 2, Participant 3

【Group 2】
Fixed: Facilitator B
Lottery: Participant 4, Participant 5, Participant 6

...

Merits:

• Skill balance guaranteed
• Lottery portion ensures transparency
• Ideal for training/workshops

Demerits:

• Preparation required
• Manual assignment effort

Recommendation: 5/5

Best for:

• New hire training
• Facilitator-led workshops
• Preventing skill imbalances

Practical Example: Transparent Group Division

Scene: Online New Hire Training (30 participants, 5 groups)

Preparation (Day Before):

Step 1: Decide Fixed Members

Fix 1 mentor in each group
Mentor A → Group 1
Mentor B → Group 2
Mentor C → Group 3
Mentor D → Group 4
Mentor E → Group 5

Step 2: Lottery Preparation

1. Create event in Amida-san
2. Input participant list (25 people excluding mentors)
3. Set assignment destinations (Groups 1-5)
4. Share URL with participants

Step 3: Participants Add Lines

Email subject: 【Tomorrow's Training】Group Assignment Lottery Request

For tomorrow's training, groups will be decided by fair lottery.

Please access the URL below and add 2 horizontal lines.
https://amida-san.com/events/training-day1

We'll announce results after everyone participates.

Training Day (Zoom Meeting):

Step 1: Create Breakout Rooms (5 min)

Host: "Let's announce the group assignments"
Host: "I'll share my screen"

(Share Amida-san results screen)

Host: "Group 1: Mentor A, Tanaka, Sato..."

Step 2: Manual Assignment

• Create 5 rooms in Zoom's "Breakout Rooms" feature
• Manually assign based on results
• Complete in about 5 minutes

Step 3: Start Breakout

Host: "Please begin discussion in your groups"
Host: "We'll return to main room in 30 minutes"

Participant Reactions

"I added the line myself, so I'm satisfied" (New Employee A)

"Feels much fairer than Zoom's auto-assignment" (New Employee B)

"Reassuring to have a mentor in each group" (New Employee C)

Use Cases

1. Corporate Training

New Employee Training:

• New hire training ideas
• Skill balance ensured with mentor placement
• Different members each time for diverse interaction

Skill Development Training:

• Distribute beginner/intermediate/advanced across groups
• Pair programming partner decisions

2. Webinars/Online Events

Networking Time:

• Randomly combine participants
• Online event lottery
• Create new connections

Workshops:

• Mix industries and job roles
• Ensure diversity

3. Schools/Education

Online Classes:

• School group division
• Different groups each time to prevent fixation
• Reduce teacher burden

FAQs

Q1: Is Zoom Pro license required?

A: Yes, Zoom Pro or higher is required to use the breakout room feature. The free plan doesn't support it.

Q2: Doesn't manual assignment take time?

A: With practice, about 5 minutes. Copying results to Excel in advance makes it smoother.

Q3: How to handle late joiners?

A: Manually assign to groups with space. For pre-lottery, setting "reserve slots" is also effective.

Q4: Can I use it with Zoom auto-assignment?

A: No, you must choose one or the other. For transparency, pre-lottery is recommended.

Q5: Can it handle many groups (10+)?

A: Yes, Amida-san supports up to 299 people, so large group divisions are possible.

Summary: Maximize Zoom Breakout Rooms

Zoom's auto-assignment is convenient, but has challenges regarding transparency, fairness, and skill balance.

Solution:

1. Pre-decide group assignments
2. Ensure transparency with Amida-san
3. Hybrid method of fixed members + lottery
4. Manual Zoom assignment (5 minutes)
5. Save history via URL, verifiable

Especially for training and workshops:

• All participants involved in lottery process
• Skill balance considered
• Mathematically guaranteed fairness
• Permanent URL storage/verification

Try it at your next Zoom training or webinar.

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Related articles:

• Engaging Remote Meetings
• Maximizing Training Effectiveness
• Ladder Lottery Mechanism and Fairness
• School Group Division